Golem Wars
by Late to the Party
Summary: This time, Imoen's high jinks may have broken her brother. Just when the final prize lay in reach, she decided that the Solar wasn't the only one who could offer advice and lay down challenges. AU.
1. Mirrors of Reality

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the names, characters, setting contained within. Bioware/Black Isle/Interplay does.**

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Mirrors of Reality

It was an absurd proposal. He couldn't quite believe what he had heard. Scrunching up his forehead, he tried not to scratch at his temple. The djinn across the pool watched him expectantly. Surely the Solar would have something to say about this? Imoen simply grinned.

With a groan, he collapsed and stared into the shimmering waters. Clear, healing waters; waters he had lost countless hours bathing in. Him and Imoen both, separately. Lifting his gaze just a little let him see her incorrigible twinkle. He knew she was about to come out with something truly outrageous, even for her.

"Well, bro, you didn't want to face ole Balthy."

Doubling forwards, his forehead repeatedly thudded against the white sand.

"But y'did say 'there must be a better way', so that got me thinkin', and tada!"

He wanted to cry.

"Hey quit pullin' that face, you. Remember how mean Sarevok was lookin' in that silly armour of his? And you remember those guardian golems in Nalia's keep? See, it got me thinkin'… what if…"

Bhaal's tears… did the spawn of Murder's tears have power here?

Imoen waved her hand and the waters' filled with a most decidedly unwanted vision. "Djinn! It's golem piloting time!"


	2. Candlekeep: Academy of Golem-Armours

Candlekeep: Academy of Golem-Armours

The golems were lined up in a single, neat row. Glistening in the patchy sunshine, the rays fell upon the metal-clad stone and broke in scattered shafts in every direction.

He couldn't believe this was happening. Without intending, his fingers reached up and connected with the cool, metal helm. He could instantly feel the rounded band set with an oval firestone gem that capped the helm's rim, and the dragon-like wings to the side. Amn's helms. Immediate recognition of his surroundings hit him harder than the jerking jolt of waking to this reality. He felt his teeth grit. Imoen stood beside him, beaming broadly, and beside her, Aerie, and lower down, both Khalid and Jaheira. They were all draped from neck to foot in chainmail; chainmail bearing multiple hooked chains from the sides, front and back. Even their boots looked Amnish. A low growl-cum-scream began to form soundlessly in the depths of his throat. Where had Imoen got a djinn from? Where was the Solar? Why did he have to go through all this again?

A shot caught his attention. No, not a shot, a shout. Hull?! Hull was _drilling_ him? And the Gatewarden stood nearby, and Ulraunt watched from the library tower… no, the library had changed. _Imoen!_

Hull's quarterstaff prodded him in the stomach. Close by, Aerie drew herself up to attention. "Recruit! Get down and give me twenty! On the double!"

This was not happening.


	3. Hollow Golem

Hollow Golem

After a sound whacking from Hull's staff, he found himself being yelled at, and told to 'mount up'. His golem was not a giant walking suit of armour, but _did_ have a him-sized hole in. The front opened, a circular portal that seemed to connect with his helm's gem. Then the chains latched forth with a will of their own, clasping onto the golem's interior, and retracted, pulling him inside. Nearby, the same was happening to Imoen and Aerie.

"There are bandits southwest of here!" Hull decided that yelling helped amplify the orders. Somehow, he could hear Hull, and the voices of the others, as Imoen let out a cheery 'yes sir', along with Aerie.

He blamed the Solar for not getting him out of this.

—

"Yes, I _know_." Why did the others not remember? And then… there was Officer Vai. Also in a golem. They were _all_ in golems. Except those supporting the golems. Even the xvarts had their own golems, the kobolds too. Unbelievable. He was going to thump Imoen, well, he was tempted. Only, she'd thump back, and harder, and not just in the arm. Not that he ever really thumped her. …Maybe when they were children. He turned and found himself looking through the golem's eye to the outside. Oddly, Imoen's golem and Aerie's, although identical to his own, somehow were distinctly them. Was it a feeling? Then the golem surged forwards in accordance with his thoughts. What had Imoen done? Great. Now she was singing, and Aerie had tentatively joined in. Was he the only one with any memory? No, Imoen had to know, she just had to.

Off to find Mulahey. Then he could hear her adding it to the song, and Aerie's query. Khalid and Jaheira had taken the left and right wings. He could hear Jaheira's muted grumbling somewhere in the back of his mind; it seemed to be coming from the right.

Beregost was a town manned by golems. Battered golems. Trade had been disrupted, the caravans forced to grind to a halt. The ore that was used to build the golems, from Nashkel, had become tainted. What a surprise. He grumbled to himself, careful not to broadcast his thoughts. The Flaming Fist golem brigade was a contingent cut off from Baldur's Gate, much to his faux-amazement, and everyone else's actual amazement. Especially Imoen. She really was overacting. Bandit-golems plagued the roads. Now they were off to Nashkel. And Mulahey. Not that anyone else knew that it was Mulahey's doing. He hadn't even bothered with the 'Friendly Arm Inn'; a depot for Golems, where refitting was done by the gnome couple. He _had_ forgotten to find Tranzig in Beregost; that's how irritated he was at having to everything again. Admittedly, golem combat was interesting. Different. It also seemed to take less time to travel. But they did have to rest just as often to 'recharge' the magical gem that powered the golems. Hobgoblins still launched bolts… and still stank.

As they neared Nashkel, he remembered he should have stopped off at High Hedge. He couldn't help but wonder what the sirines were like now; would they have submerged golems that stalked the coast? There were counterparts to just about everything. He had noted swords on some golems, like Khalid's, and a shield, and some launched fire, both as balls or how Firkraag had breathed it. Firkraag. Firkraag as a golem. Gods why. _IMOEN!_

"Heya, don't shout. What can I do you for, bro?"

He trailed off grumbling.

"Not feelin' much like leading, are ya? Well, that's okay! Immy's here to save the day. Or night." She seemed to glance out of her visor towards the rapidly sinking sun. "Welp, let's make camp! I'm getting a little sleepy here."

This was not how it was supposed to go.

"An' don't forget to keep watch! We might have to pound some more nasty hobgobs!"

That night, he dreamt.


	4. The Night is Especially Cruel…

The Night is Especially Cruel…

Seriously? He wanted to yell at the dream, and so he did. But unfortunately, he'd forgotten to take his helm off, and since he had decided to rest inside his golem, Aerie saw everything. So did Imoen. Khalid and Jaheira were sitting by the campfire, their helms off, so fortunately, they didn't. What was Aerie doing here anyway? Creative liberties? This was ridiculous. He had to get back and… how many were left anyway?

"T-that's really scary." He found Aerie's hand brush his shoulder. Only, it couldn't have, since both of them were in their golems. It just felt like her hand. And a squeeze from Imoen on his other shoulder. He wanted to tell them to let him sleep. "Y-you're really brave."

Ugh. Come to think of it, what had happened to Gorion? Where was Sarevok? Probably in some gigantic armoured golem at the head of a massive host. Did Imoen have her pet djinn here? It would be just like her to smuggle it in and not tell anyone…

"Who is s-she?" Aerie inquired, a touch more insistently. Was it insistence? Jealousy? No, not jealousy. Something. Who she what? Oh. The Solar? What was Aerie doing seeing the Solar? From… his thoughts? How loudly _was_ he projecting? Stupid gem. Huh. No. He hadn't been… was Aerie more sensitive then? Imoen hadn't seemed to have noticed, or cared. Another ethereal brush, this time almost like a whispering hug along his shoulders. He sighed. How could he tell her he wasn't meant to be here, that she wasn't meant to be here? Somehow, he got the feeling she already knew. She hadn't asked what his world was like. Normal-Aerie would have. Ugh. Now he was thinking of 'Normal-Aerie' and 'Golem-Aerie'. Any girl would be offended, surely? So why did it feel as if she had simply smiled sadly? He needed to move this thing out of range.

…No, that would only cause them to worry. Jaheira was already weird enough in this place. Besides, stomping caused too much noise. How _did_ Imoen move around so quietly? Of course the golems were spelled, but… he was going to step on any kobolds stupid enough to try and fight him. Somewhere deep in the depths of his mind, he heard mad laughter.

Just wait, he thought back, just wait until Irenicus. Oh hells no, not that again… why? Why would anyone be cruel enough to make him go through this a _second_ time? Watching other realities was bad enough!


	5. Crossovers

Crossovers

Then it struck him. Where was Viconia? And Tenya and Alora? Alora hadn't been in the pocket plane, so perhaps it made sense she wasn't there. Sarevok and Irenicus couldn't have been on his side, not in this bizarre story-world of Imoen's, and Cespenar, thankfully, was nowhere to be seen. Hadn't Aerie written a story involving Tenya? He wasn't entirely sure; reality, the real reality, was becoming fuzzier each night. Little details escaped him. But this…

And then he saw them. All three of them. A second squadron, sent out ahead of them. He felt his suspicions growing. They marched into camp with the dawn, knowing exactly where to find them. Alora, Tenya, Viconia. In the Candlekeep golem pilot's uniform. Was this madness adapting to his thoughts? Or was Imoen just making it up as they went along? This was becoming intolerable. And where _was_ the Solar? Maybe he should try reaching out to her in his dreams, try to seek out the pocket plane, this reality's version of the pocket plane. Did it even exist? Was he even able to without the experience of being dragged into the Abyss in this reality? And even if he could reach this pocket plane, could he wish himself back to his own? Were the pools here linked? Would she even be the same Solar?

"Quit yer worryin'," Imoen sounded insufferably cheerful to his mind. "Turn yer frown upside down, right Alora?"

"Right!" The bubbly halfling threw her arms around her friend, and then turned, studied him and he found his waist hugged too. Then she saluted. "Alora reporting for duty, sir!"

Over her head, he caught sight of Tenya. The girl shook her mane of hair out. Beneath her mail, she wore a padded tunic and breeches, and presumably leggings and a top beneath that. At least, the rest of them did. It was so odd seeing her dressed that way. How old was she in this reality? Fifteen? Just under? That couldn't possibly be right.

Imoen poked him. "And quit starring. Never seen a girl before? You'll make Aerers here jealous." She winked.

Aerie flushed.

He half groaned, half growled to himself. Then he saw Viconia. He wanted to cry, climb into his golem and never walk out again. What had Imoen done? Was everyone in this weird reality super pretty? Aerie was an elf, so it was hardly surprising she looked the way she did, and Alora had always been cute, but he had never felt inclined that way to… Viconia was stunning. That shock of white against obsidian, shimmering silken hair against toned silken flesh. What was going on? Could he be seeing them as Imoen saw them? The way the light caught their hair, the shape of their leg, the arc of their calves… even Tenya looked older than she should. In fact, she didn't look like she should at all. She reminded him of Imoen a few years back. What was Tenya doing there anyway?

The girl fixed him a strange look, then saluted in the same style as Alora. "Trainee Pilot Tenya reporting in, sir!" He didn't bother listening to the rest. Without a backwards glance, he climbed back into his golem and firmly sealed the hatch.

"Don't mind him, he's been grumpy all… tenday now." Imoen mimed a questioning shrug at Aerie, who nodded. "Yup, 'bout that. Think he misses ya."

It was Tenya's turn to turn red.

"Not like _that_ , slowpoke. Well, I hope not."

"Immmmmy." Tenya complained. Aerie also made a face.

Viconia ignored them all, and coolly exchanged words with Jaheira. They seemed to be exchanging kill tallies. Khalid stood someway off between them, tending to breakfast.

In spite of his best efforts, he heard all of it.


End file.
